The Phantom of Dunwall
by HardcoreHamster
Summary: Eidolon was a beggar boy who lived in the slums of Dunwall. He felt absolute hopelessness and despair in his miserable life, but one night the Metal-Faced Demon descended unto him and granted him hope. That was 15 years ago. Now with the Empress Emily Kaldwin missing and The Royal Protector entombed in stone, he seeks redemption for the city which never showed him kindness.
1. Everyone Has a Past

The blow came hard, bone and muscle cracking into my cheek at a blinding speed. I felt my brain rattle and crash into the walls of my skull, all the while I spat blood onto the trash lined ground. Tears spilled out of my burning eyes before I crashed my boney rear onto the ground. Filthy, scum-filled water splashed into my hair and soaked my ragged tunic. Clutching the right side of my face, my eyes flickered to the origin of the attack. Hovering over me was the hollow shell of a man, his thin and gaunt features only hidden by the dirt and filth stuffed into his pores.

"Aye ya little bastard! Trying to steal from you are, you little guttershite?! This was my treasure fair and square!"

I scrambled away from the skinny man, surprised how his arm didn't snap from the force of the punch. He glared at my with his dark and sunken eyes, which were partly hidden from his gray, matted hair. He took two steps toward my cowering figure, his footfalls rippling into the rancid puddles of water at our feet. The cans of tuna, which were now forgotten amongst the squabble, lied in a pool of leaves, excrement, and carcasses.

"Pl-please mister! I was just hungry!" I pleaded.

"Oh yeah? Well so am I, and everyone else in this goddamned CITY! I know what's it's like kid, to watch as the high and mighty dine on fine cuisines and feast on steaming blood ox. Maybe, if you hadn't have stolen me food we could have helped each other. But no! Now, you've dug your own grave!"

The last hint of a plea in my eyes had burned away as heavy falls of fists pounded onto my skin. My body was curled into a fetal position and the blows continued to come. Pound after pound, beat after beat. They never let up and after a while I felt my nose and various other parts of my body… crack. Ever since the plague started a little less than a year ago, I had become frail and brittle from the lack of proper nourishment. Compared to my tormenter, I probably weigh about ten more pounds than him and he wasn't on the chunky side.

After about five minutes, I laid on the wet ground covered in blood and filth, snuggling up to diminish the chill of the brisk Dunwall air. But, to no avail, I continued to freeze.

 _Uncle, if only you were here._

The man had stopped hitting me, looking somber and enraged at the same time. To the right of us a light had begun to reveal itself coming down the stairs that led to the upper streets. Hope ached in my chest and I began to whimper for help. The light was followed by the sharp _clack_ of boots hitting the cemented stairs. The light grew stronger and stronger and stronger until it revealed its carrier. I was able to make out the crisp uniform and helmet of the City Watch, a group of four men chatting amongst themselves.

The man noticed them too, taking the chance to hobble to them. One man in the front of the group withdrew his sword from its sheath, brandishing it to the man.

"Stand back citizen and state your business!"

The man took a giant leap backwards before holding his hands up in surrender.

"Easy there Sir! I've come to report a theft!"

The guard looked back to his fellow members of the Watch, consulting them for further action. One guard in the back, the one who held the lantern spoke up. "Where is the perpetrator sir?"

The man turned back to me, pointing his finger at me accusingly. "Him!"

The entire group of guards gazed at me, some disgusted, others pitiful. The man who stared at me the most intently though had no expression. His features were quite handsome, a strong jaw structure and firm eyes which were both adorned by a straight nose. Those features and his strong body made him one of the most intimidating of the group, if not the most scary. He strided over to me and studied my wounds.

"Ah, let's see. Brittle bones, countless bruises, a no doubt broken nose, and… bloody _tears_." My heart skipped a beat and a burning sensation rose in my throat.

 _No._

The guard backed away and my hands flew up to my eyes, checking for blood. There was none.

"That's what we'll say gentlemen. Bloody tears. We had to put this poor boy out of his misery," the guard said coldly before leaning closer to me. "Do you understand boy? That's our story."

"But I'm not crying blood!"

The guard lifted his leg and crashed his foot into my gut. I doubled over, writhing in pain. He let out a laugh and continued.

"Damn, that old geezer got to you before I could. You see, my sister and mother were recently killed. The only thing the murderer took was food. No jewelry and no money. Just food. My neighbor, Mrs. Aladrems told me something peculiar. A small boy was seen running from my home with armfuls of food and herbs. I'm going to take the chance and say that was you."

He delivered another kick to my gut, sending me a couple feet back.

"NO! I did-didn't ki-ki-kill them! The door was open, so I took the food and ran I swear!"

My voice started to crack and tears fell from my eyes.

The guard unsheathed his sword and braced the tip against my neck. I closed my eyes and began to sob.

"You lie you little slum rat!"

"No! I saw a man leave! He was- he was-"

I kept stuttering and spouting anything from my mouth to try and keep me alive.

 _Uncle!_

Somewhere from the back of the group I heard a thud and a sound like meat being ripped open at the butcher shop. Another man yelled and screamed out and that's when I opened my eyes. It was hard to see far away because of the tears clouding my vision, but the scene was almost impossible to misinterpret. The guard had turned away from me and now faced a masked man, who had single-handedly ripped through an entire squad of the City Watch.

"You BASTARD!" the last guard yelled out. He withdrew his pistol and fired a quick yet inaccurate shot at the masked assailant. The tiny explosion that sounded through the alley drilled into my ears. With my lost of hearing in both ears, I could only watch the next few seconds.

The masked man hadn't even move when the bullet was fired. The guard trembled in shock, unable to believe he had missed. The fact was however, he didn't. The masked man stood still and silent, not moving. Slowly he raised a glowing left hand and revealed to us a tiny piece of sharp metal. It was the bullet.

 _By the Outsider! How?!_

The guard dropped his pistol, his knees wobbling. The masked man slowly walked forward, taking a chance to flick the bullet at the guard. As his footsteps clapped onto the ground I got a better look at his mask. It was metal, but with jagged, welded features formed to make a skeletal figure. His eyes were glass, one having three tiny pieces of circular glass rotating in the mask's eye socket. His sinister grin had tried to be wired shut with metal, but alas it only made him scarier. He wore a coat fit for a noble, but it was dirtied and torn.

The masked man stopped a foot away from the cowering guard and studied him. They both were to my left so I had an amazing view of his left hand. As I studied the tattoo (or that's what it looked like at least) I took notice of the intricate shapes and patterns. I could not even explain what it looked like. In the masked man's right hand however, was a sword, slick and dripping in crimson blood. With a quick flick of his wrist though, it was covered in even more blood. The guard which had just earlier laid at his feet was slumped over, gagging with his throat gushing blood.

 _Uncle, help me!_

We were now alone in the alleyway. Just me and a cold-blooded monster, but then the monster glanced my way.

 _Oh Outsider, have mercy on me!_

He walked closer.

 _Uncle!_

Closer.

 _Let me LIVE!_

The masked man stopped, and extended his left hand which held something. Unsure of what else to do, I shakily held out my hand underneath his. His hand opened and something hard and chilling dropped into my palm. I studied it in terror. It was a piece of whalebone it seemed, which was carved into a similar fashion to a candleholder with two diagonal wax stalks. It whispered to me and wisps of purplish-black smoke billowed from it. The smoke filled my crooked, broken nostrils and a voice whispered into my head loudly.

" **Be thankful, for my friend's gift little one. May the rats give heed to your presence in this shambled city. Goodbye."**

My whole body shook and the little charm froze into my palm. I looked up at the man, astonished and ready to let my body collapse. He chuckled like he knew this feeling and spoke only two words.

"Hide it."

I blinked, confused and weary, but he was gone. I was alone. Alone with a mass of corpses. I crawled onto my hands and knees and finally onto my feet with the support of the alleyway wall. It took me a while, but I finally stumbled over to the beggar man's "home." It wasn't anything special. A bed propped up against the corner with food tucked under the stained pillow which laid on top. I stuffed my arms full of food with the bone artifact tucked into my tattered breeches. Careful to step over the corpses, I limped out of the alley way and headed home.

. . . . . . . .

"That's bullshit Eidolon!" Eleutheria shouted as I finished my story.

I shook my head,"Believe me if you want Eleutheria. I know it happened though."

Eleutheria kept laughing and laughing, tears brimming in her eyes. "Yeah," she shouted,"the 'Legend of Dunwall' Corvo Attano, gave YOU a heretical bone charm?!"

"Yeah! That's what happened!" I shouted, frustrated and embarrassed. "I bet you two thousand coins and Tyvian wine that if I spoke to him, he would remember me."

"Sure! He's gonna admit to the murder of a whole squad of the City Watch and possession of heretical artifacts! That's rich Eidolon!"

No matter how frustrated I was, I still found a beauty in her smile. Eleutheria and I have always been good friends, even during the Rat Plague, but one doesn't ever get over her annoying laugh. It sounded quite similar to boar giving birth. Other than her laugh though, every part of her was perfect. Her skin was dark and tanned, mostly because of her Serkonan heritage. Eleutheria had silky long brown hair, accompanied by bronze eyes which gave her a cat-like appearance. Her body also screamed hot, attracting most men's gazes from afar.

She started cleaning a glasses from the the countertop of the pub, her laughter finally dying down. I sipped on a glass of whiskey, feeling myself getting more and more relaxed with every sip. Most people couldn't stomach the stuff that Eleutheria's father, Neb, brewed. With a stomach of iron and enough willpower though, it slides down your throat rather nicely. I was about to take another sip when Eleutheria jerked the glass from my hand.

"Hey!" I shouted.

"I don't think you need anymore of these mister!" she chuckled.

Sitting back down, defeated and aggravated, I rested my head on my right arm.

"Eidolon, you can't keep telling this story okay? This was fifteen years ago! I remember that night you came see me out by the docks. Your eyes were bleeding, telltale symptoms of the plague! Who knows what was going on in your head. Just be lucky I was able to snatch that elixir from Slackjaw's factory."

She grinned mischievously, wiggling her fingers playfully.

"Yeah," I began,"you always were good at stealing stuff. You were actually just always good with your hands. I should know-"

The sound of glass shattering signaled my exit. In a split second I had hopped out of my chair and started backing up towards the door of the pub. Eleutheria had already ripped off her apron and jumped over the bar. Her face was bright red, either from embarrassment or rage, or maybe both.

"That was one time!"

I grabbed my coat and hat from the rack next to the door and began to open the door. I needed as much room to run as possible for this next joke.

"Sadly, you're right!"

And like that, I was gone, out the door and onto the street with the angriest woman in Dunwall hot on my tail.

. . . . . . . .

Walking through the hustle and bustle of the Dunwall streets always threw me off guard. The Plague was fifteen years ago, and I'm still used to the emptiness and dread of the dead streets back then. Now, children chase each other down the sidewalks which were once lined with rotting corpses. Women shop in stores which once housed criminals and Weepers. Men now drink and eat food from factories that were infested with rats. Most of us remember all of this, others choose to forget. It's better that way.

I stuffed my hands into my coat and secured my hat tighter onto my mass of brown hair. The Dunwall air always had a way of chilling you to the bone, even in the summer. A transport train blared its sirens overhead, sliding on the electric tracks. A group of guards stood in a circle on post, chatting and betting. Five children, two boys and three girls, chased each other through crowd. One of the boys yelled,"Cooties!" I chuckled a little.

 _Be glad you didn't have my childhood kids._

As I walked out of the market district, the sea air filled my nostrils. I was by the docks. Huge whaling ships floated lazily in the harbor while fishermen unloaded the products. I took notice of a young boy, no older than fourteen carrying a large fish. As he walked off the ship and onto the docks the fish in his arms began to move spastically. I laughed as the boy struggled to keep his hold on the fish. Other passersby began to notice the scene and they all joined me in laughter. Finally, the boy tripped over the rope which kep the boat from floating away. Down he went, the fish now free and flying into the water with him. The scene abruptly ended and I was on my merry way again.

I strided up the streets again, passing the Dunwall Courier and the Boyle shop. The crowd of people which were usually accompanying the sidewalks started to thin as I got closer to my destination. My destination was Dunwall Tower, for I was going to confront the Royal Protector. I was going to give him back his gift.

As I reached the entrance to the tower a guard stopped me. He was a short, but well built man who wore the City Watch outfit. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword.

"State your business citizen."

"Ah well," I began," you see, I wish to speak to the Royal Protector, Corvo Attano."

The man looked at me like my intelligence rivaled that of a rat. If he had thought of anything rude, he did not voice it and remained formal.

"You are aware sir that not _anyone_ can see the Royal Protector. Do you even have an appointment?"

I began to sweat and really think about how stupid of an idea this was.

"Ah… well um, I'm sure if he met me he would be willing to speak." I smiled nervously at the man.

"Sir, if you don't have an appointment with the Royal Protector, or he doesn't inform me of your arrival beforehand, I'm not authorized to let you see him."

 _God, I'm an idiot._

"Yes, I'm sorry to have wasted your time. Please excuse me, I'm a little slow," I laughed.

The guard shared a chuckle with me and waved me farewell. To be honest, it was quite odd to see a member of the City Watch so nice. As I turned around though, I stopped mid-step. There in front of me was the Royal Protector. He had a dozen or so guards behind him, convoy style. In front of him was a lady who wore a black veil which obscured her face. So, being myself, I did something everyone would label "the stupidest thing someone could ever do."

I approached the Royal Protector, Corvo Attano.

"Royal Prot-"

In an instant, his sword was unsheathed and the tip of it pointed into my neck. The feeling was very nostalgic. Within seconds, half of the City Watch had surrounded me, swords drawn and pistols ready to fire.

"-ector…"

I gulped and felt the tip of the blade caress my adam's apple.

"Step back or watch your own head roll on the pavement!" one guard yelled.

Corvo Attano didn't pay them any mind though. He kept his gaze fixed on me. His eyes were scarier without his mask. Now that I looked at him though, age was evident in every crease on his face. His short, graying hair rustled slightly in the wind and despite the cold weather, I broke into a sweat.

"Please, Royal Protector, I only wish to speak."

His gaze didn't waver, only to be broken when the lady from earlier spoke up.

"Father, who is this man who interrupts our mourning?"

 _Father? By the Outsider is that…_

I broke eye contact with Corvo and studied the woman, but couldn't make out her features behind the veil.

 _Please don't let that be…_

The woman lifted the veil and revealed her beautiful, striking features. She looked even more beautiful in person.

 _...The Empress._

"Yes, Emily I'd like to know that too."

That was my cue.

"My name is Eidolon your Lord and Majesty."

"And what business do you have with me _Eidolon_?" He said my name with a tinge of venom in his voice.

"I wish to speak with you Royal Protector. I have something I must return to you."

"And what may that be?" he spat.

I looked around at the City Watch and answered.

"Fifteen years ago, I looked into your eyes. Not those which rest in your head, but those of which rested in metal. I watched your left hand burn blue and orange, a mark carved into the very bone of it. You handed me an ornament of bone, one which saved me from the hands of Plague. He whispered into my mind and said it was a gift. You said,'Hide it,' and in a blink, you were gone."

Everyone was silent, no words were spoken. Only the wind whistled in our ears. Recognition etched into the Royal Protector's face and he lowered his sword. He signaled the guards to do the same and then rested his left hand on my shoulder. The charm froze my buttock in my pocket at his touch.

"Come Eidolon. I wish for you to join us on this horrible anniversary. Please walk behind me and stay at least ten feet from the Empress at all times." He smiled warmly at me.

The Empress stepped forward and whispered into Corvo's ear, though I could still hear her.

"What is this about father?"

The Royal Protector glanced at me, then to his daughter. "Emily," he answered,"I'll explain later."

With that, I followed the Lord Protector up Dunwall Tower and into the throne room.

For the first time today, it clicked in my head that today is the anniversary of Empress Jessamine Kaldwin's death.

Fifteen years ago today, the city of Dunwall fell into absolute chaos.

Now, in the present, history repeats itself.


	2. A Long Day In Dunwall

A Long Day In Dunwall

. . . . . . . .

"So, let's talk boy."

The Royal Protector and I sat in his office at the very peak of Dunwall Tower. The office sat beside the Empress' Chambers and a balcony which overlooked the Royal Library on the floor below us. The Royal Protector sat across from me, behind his desk which was positioned in the middle of the room. Beside us were about three bookshelves, all crammed full of various novels and instructional guides. A lavish green carpet was laid under our feet. Not a speck of dirt could be spotted on it. The chairs we sat in were carved in such a way to be decorative and comfortable, mostly due to the velvet cushioning though. The desk that separated the two of us was cluttered with mounds of paperwork and multiple empty ink bottles.

"Ah, excuse the mess, Emily usually dumps most of the paperwork onto me. May I never pass from this world soon or she would be beyond lost, I swear it." He laughed slightly, earning a chuckle from me in return.

"It's no problem at all Royal Protector-"

"Call me Lord Corvo, Eidolon. It must be a mouthful."

I let out another laugh,"Thank you, it was becoming quite troublesome to keep repeating. Is her Majesty outside at the moment?"

"No she's in the lower part of the Tower, getting dressed in my chambers. She always was one for spectacular entrances. She was adamant about having a nice dress, something not too frivolous, but also not too extravagent. Poor Alexi, she was running all over Dunwall, tasking the best seamstresses to make the damned thing. I believe it was quite worth it though. I'm also sure the lucky seamstress will be happy with a pocket full of coin."

"Everyone's happy," I responded.

"Exactly."

I began to settle in my chair after chatting a bit with Lord Corvo. Unlike his cold look, he was a quite warm and understanding, old man. The anticipation of the next bit of the conversation formed an unbearable knot in my throat though.

"Well, I believe…." I pulled out the charm from my back pocket,"... this is yours."

As I held out the charm, Lord Corvo's eyes seemed to settle to another place else, another time. His look darkened.

"Mmm, a charm of whale bone. A 'Bonecharm.' Something said to give a random gift to any who wears it. A heretical artifact."

The "Bonecharm" felt icy in my palm. I nervously began to sweat.

"We can't have the Royal Protector be seen with a heretical artifact then. Even with your power, the Overseers will bust down your door, swords and pistols drawn."

Lord Corvo smiled. "Well, as long as they don't see it, I guess I could take it off your hands."

"Thank you," I sighed,"It feels like a bad omen to carry it around."

"It is," he simply answered.

Swiping it from my hand with his gloved left hand, Lord Corvo studied it nostalgically. After a while, he rose from behind his mountain of papers and strided over to the painting which, I didn't notice before, was hung directly behind Lord Corvo's desk. As I leaned to my left to get a better view from behind the paper mountains, I noticed the painting's familiarity. It was Eleutheria and Neb's pub, "The Drunken Bloodhound." But engraved into the frame was a different name.

The Hound Pits Pub.

 _I guess the pub has a history._

Lord Corvo ran his hand along the frame, letting his fingers slide through the grooves. After he traced all the way up the right side of the painting, a click sounded and the painting swung open. Behind it, a large square of metal was fixed into the wall. It was a combination safe. Whispers echoed from inside.

"You hear it don't you? Only those with a relationship to the Void can fully hear the its whispers. It's even harder to hear it through a seven inch metal door. I guess after fifteen years of carrying this thing around _he_ planted a seed into you. That's bad."

Lord Corvo inputted the combination, not bothering to hide it from my eye. He probably didn't expect me to ever be in here again.

 **357**

The safe clicked and creaked open, probably rusted from the lack of use. From my view, the safe looked empty, but I adjusted in my seat. There were two shelves inside. On the top shelf was a single envelope. On the second shelf below it, laid an oval tablet of cloth. Wisps of black smoke escaped through the fabric.

 _What is that?_

"It's best you forget what you just saw. It's best to forget everything, even that night."

"But-but Lord Corvo," I sputtered,"that's not something one can easily forget! You stopped a bullet in mid-air! You disappeared in a blink of an eye! Your _hand_ glowed like it was filled with the flames of hell itself!"

"Eidolon! Watch your tone. What you saw was not something one should involve himself with. It's best forgotten than to be dwelled upon." Lord Corvo turned around, frustrated.

"Was it really him? Did I hear _his_ voice?" Lord Corvo peeked over his shoulder.

"Whose voice would you-"

"The **Outsider**!"

Lord Corvo whipped around and was in front of me in the blink of an eye. A faint blue glowed from under his gloved hand. He quickly ripped it off and through it to the ground.

"Yes! It was him!" he yelled sharply.

Lord Corvo shoved his left hand into my face and I bore witness to its magic for the second time. The same indescribable shape was cut into the back of his hand. His face was angry and disgusted, like he was ashamed to show something so evil. I gulped, trying to swallow my heart that was beating in my throat. It didn't work.

All of a sudden, the office door bursted open, a City Watch captain sprinted in with his sword at the ready. He was quite old, about the same age as Lord Corvo, wrinkles lining his confused face.

"My Lord, I heard yelling. Is everything in order?" the captain eyed me disapprovingly,"Is this young boy giving you trouble?"

Lord Corvo swiped his hand out of view and retrieved his glove off the floor, fastening it back onto his hand.

"No Ramsey, everything is quite fine. I just got a little excited is all. Thank you for the concern."

The captain, Ramsey, nodded slightly, shot me glare, then escorted himself out. The room grew uncomfortably quiet until I spoke up again.

"Then it's true. You were branded by him. Branded and labelled with 'The Mark of The Outsider.'"

He grumbled,"How would someone like you know of such a thing?"

"Well ah…. A friend of mine knows quite a bit about stuff like that. She wanted to be an Overseer you see, but she is a woman. The best position she could get would be a captain. She knows her way around a blade too. I'm one of the few people to have pissed her off and got away with their tongue. Her father owns a pub in the lower part of Dunwall. It's actually the same one in that picture there."

Lord Corvo listened and nodded,"It is a shame. So many women learned how to dance with a blade during the Rat Plague, but so many have been denied a position higher than guard or officer."

I nodded and Lord Corvo proceeded to close his safe, the whispers of the clothed object dying to a lowly hum. He sighed and continued,"Come. The ceremony shall begin soon,"

"What?" I asked,"What ceremony?"

"The Ceremony of Addressal. It is a rather private ceremony held in the throne room, but it is also different than the public ceremony held in front of the masses of citizens. You'll accompany Emily with me to her throne. You'll pay your respects to Jessamine and you will leave. May our paths never cross again."

It hurt a little in my chest to have to listen to how easily I would be tossed aside.

"Are you sure? This is such a high honor, I'm not sure I am fit for it. You've done so much for me and I can't even repay you."

"I'm sure. You've given me the charm; that's another heretical artifact taken off the streets of our fair city. You will also send me a bottle of your strongest whiskey from the pub run by your friend…. Eleutheria was it? I'd like to see if the brew is as strong as Samuel's…"

 _Who's Samuel?_

"Ah, yes! Though I assure you, it's quite horrible tasting," I responded with a laugh.

Lord Corvo smiled,"Good. Now, let us go. You have an Empress to escort!"

 _Oh, God don't say that…_

. . . . . . . .

Lord Corvo stood across from me on the other side of the giant double doors that were the entrance to the throne room. All above us were massive, crystal chandeliers. They gave of an orange glow and lit that massive room very well. Under our feet rested a beautiful and clean sky blue carpet. It ran from the entrance all the way to the throne, which sat upon high steps at the end of the room. Chatter filled the air and the aroma of roses lingered. I stared nervously at the many nobles and guards which danced around the room. They drank fabulous wines and laughed loudly like they were at a party rather than a memorial.

I looked over at Lord Corvo who seemed to be thinking the same thing, but instead showed hatred rather than confusion. I guess he's had to put up with this every year for fifteen years.

As men and women passed me, they seemed to be confused too. It was like they were thinking," _What the hell is a commoner doing here?!_ " I couldn't blame them. My clothes were rather drab, and I didn't carry myself like a noble. I even looked so plain that I had to wear my coat to add some flavor to my outfit. It looked better, but it was hot like an oven in here.

As I was studying everyone, a woman approached me. I looked at her expecting a greeting but she tripped, or rather badly acted like it, and fell onto the floor.

"Oh!" she gasped,"Look at what this pig has done to me! Look where you're going you poor bastard!"

I heard several laughs and giggle from behind her and noticed a group of women and men where the source of the sound. Unsure of what to do, I went along with her and offered a hand to help her up.

"Ah, don't touch me commoner!" she smacked my hand away,"You dare to touch a Boyle?!"

 _Oh shit_.

"Hey, look I'm sorry, I-I-I uh….don't know why you tripped yourself, but let me help you up Ms. Boyle."

"Ah! Lord Corvo come get this dog away from me!" she wailed.

I looked over to Lord Corvo who was now approaching. I got nervous again, praying that he saw her trip herself.

"What's the problem Ms. Boyle?"

Lady Boyle jumped up to her feet and hung herself over Corvo. "Oh, Lord Corvo," she started,"you should have seen the audacity of this slum rat! He tripped me out of jealousy it seems, spouting nonsense about meeting him in the restroom to give him all my coin! Please handle this beast!"

My hands shot up in surrender,"Lord Corvo I-"

"Shut up and come with me," he said forcefully.

I obeyed and followed him, looking over my shoulder to see the vile woman smirk. He brought me to the corner of the room.

"I'm sorry Eidolon, the bastards don't like someone of low status here. Mind Esma too, the poor woman has tricked herself into loving a man she never knew."

I looked back once more at the woman and saw her walk off, arms locked with a man. I barely heard their conversation.

"Oh, Brisby darling! I was so scared!"

He smirked,"It's okay now Esma sweetie, you love me after all."

Lady Boyle nodded enthusiastically and they were off, disappearing into the crowd with glasses full of wine.

I returned to my original position and took a red rose from the flower pot which must have been put out when I was in the corner. Her majesty must be on her way now. Lord Corvo passed by and took a rose too.

"Remember, it's nothing special okay? Just walk on her right, I'll be on her left. When we get to the portrait of Jessamine, lay down a rose on the floor. Done. You're welcome to leave after that, but if you do choose to stay, just stay by the portrait for the rest of the ceremony."

I nodded,"Thank you, I'm just a little nervous is all."

"Is my daughter's beauty that disabling to men your age."

I chuckled,"Sorry to say, but my heart is already stolen."

Lord Corvo smirked,"It's that girl you mentioned earlier huh? I wish you luck boy, women are troublesome." I felt that Lord Corvo knew this best.

He patted me on the shoulder and returned to the other side of the entrance.

I stood forward and watched as the doors swung open. The crowd parted and hushed as soon as that happened. The captain from earlier, Ramsey, gathered everyone's attention.

"All hail her Imperial Majesty, Emily Kaldwin!"

The Empress stepped through the door, her beauty almost rivaling that of Eleutheria. Covering her rather pale skin was a black dress which came down to her knees. Her hair was swept to the side and wrapped around the back of her head, finally being held together with a black, flower-like hair pin. She retained her modesty, covering all of her cleavage. Her arms were half covered with thin, black, arm length gloves. Her high heels clacked as she stepped forward.

"Loyal subjects," she addressed,"we're going through a difficult time, but today we honor my mother, the late Jessamine Kaldwin. May her memory survive through the ages!"

Looking resolved, the Empress stepped forward and began to walk. Lord Corvo and I stepped out immediately and walked with her. She paid me no mind and continued to Lord Corvo,"You look tired father. Has this man given you much trouble?"

She still didn't look at me.

"No, it's just that every year I think the anniversary of Jessamine's death will get easier, but it never is."

"I wish Mother was still the Empress," she said," I don't think I'm very good at this."

Lord Corvo jumped in,"You're still learning. Don't worry about the rabble-rousers. And we'll catch the 'Crown Killer,' eventually."

I've heard about that. There have been multiple strings of murders in Dunwall that have been thanks to the Crown Killer. The bodies would be found, mutilated and dismembered. At first, everyone thought it was a wild animal getting into people's homes and killing. Now, we know that it's not random. The people who were killed were targets.

Her Majesty furrowed her brow a bit,"People are saying it's you. That these assassinations are misguided effort to protect me."

"No," Lord Corvo said quickly,"someone's been trying to make us look guilty by targeting your enemies."

"I wish I could just run away from all this," the Empress stated.

We finally reached the portrait of the former Empress, Jessamine Kaldwin. The Empress and Lord Corvo laid down their roses amongst the dozens which were placed by the other nobles. I did the same, then deciding to stay by the painting while the Empress fell into her throne, looking exhausted. Lord Corvo stood by her side and they continued their conversation but I was out of earshot. I then watched as Ramsey cut off Lord Corvo, announcing something to the Empress.

The entrance doors burst open again and I watched as walking mechanisms escorted a small carriage. The mechanisms had the skeletal structure of a human, though stood about three feet taller than the world's tallest man (about ten feet). Metal guards sat braced along it's body, though the inside gears could still be seen turning and hissing. It's head was triangular and hooked, resembling that of the beak of a crow. Instead of hands, three feet sharpened blades were attached to its arms. The mechanisms were clanging their swords together, almost like an ancient warrior thrusting their sword against their shield. It was meant to intimidate.

Behind the mechanisms, but still in front of the carriage, another noble walked smugly. He had a quite large upper body and a smaller lower body. He dressed extravagantly with a clean white suit shirt, fine pressed pants, numerous gold rings, and golden ear studs. His hair was thin and combed over tightly, with an equally thin mustache.

"His grace Luca Abele, Duke of Serkonos!" Ramsey announced.

Lord Corvo spat out,"What is this Ramsey? I didn't authorize those things!"

Duke Abele lifted his hands up, parading himself. "Your Imperial Majesty and Royal Protector Corvo Attano," he began,"Serkonos offer condolences on this sorrowful day, and gifts to remind you of our great nation, the rising star on the southern horizon!"

 _Arrogant little bastard aren't you?_

He stepped forward and the carriage stopped behind him. He walked to the steps that lead to the throne, got down on his knee, and bowed his head.

Her Majesty lifted her hand,"We thank you, Your Grace."

The Duke lifted his head,"Save your thanks, for now I give you the greatest gift of all: family. I present the long lost sister of Jessamine Kaldwin. Your rightful Empress, Delilah Kaldwin."

 _Huh?_

The crowd gasped and oohed in shock. Well at least I have something in common with those rich bastards.

"Impossible," I heard Lord Corvo spit.

The door of the carriage clicked open and I saw feet swing out. The feet found the step that was attached to the carriage and they propelled their owner out the door. As she stepped down, I took notice of the "rightful Empress." Delilah, as she was introduced, was quite tall. Other than that, she had no positives. Her hair was extremely short, cut completely off at the sides. What little hair she had was slicked back and greasy. Her face was extremely gloomy and sunken, her eyes black and her cheekbone high. Her skin was white and waxy. Everything about her screamed mischievous.

Her voice was icy and deceptive."My dearest niece," she began,"Hello."

"It's not true!" Lord Corvo yelled.

Delilah smirked," My father was Emperor Euhorn Jacob Kaldwin, and Jessamine was my younger sister. At the time, I wasn't ready to make myself known to you, so I left Dunwall. But now," she raised her arms and said the next words with venom,"I'm home."

The real Empress, Emily, said,"If you are my Mother's sister, you're welcome to stay as long as you like."

Delilah chuckled,"Little sparrow, blackened by bad memories, I'm here to relieve you of your crown. My father's promise, whispered in secret so many years ago, is now fulfilled."

"Watch your tongue!" Lord Corvo said, clearly not amused,"Emily Kaldwin is the daughter of Empress Jessamine Kaldwin!"

Delilah strided over to Corvo. "Royal Protector," she said, placing her hand on Corvo's face, which was quickly swatted away," how naive of you to think you could get away with all those murders. Living in my palace has protected you, but that's over."

Delilah turned to the crowd,"Hear me all! Your rightful Empress has returned!"

Some people cheered, others muttered. Duke Abele yelled out,"All HAIL DELILAH, FIRST OF HER NAME!" Delilah scanned the crowd, looking for approval. Her eyes finally met mine and she winked. I shuddered profusely.

Delilah walked towards the carriage and the guards moved in on The Empress and Lord Corvo. "Arrest Emily Kaldwin and her father for the Crown Killer murders!" one guard yelled out. Lord Corvo flipped his sword into the air before catching it and appearing behind the guards. He thrust his sword through one guard's chest before retracting it and swinging for the other guard's neck. His head came off like the cork of a Tyvian Wine bottle.

Screams erupted from the crowd as guards started slicing through them. Women screamed in agony while men used them as leverage to climb out the door. I looked on in horror as Lord Brisby thrust Lady Boyle in front of him to shield himself from the blade of the walking mechanisms. The blade sliced through Lady Boyle and punctured Lord Brisby's stomach. The mechanism twisted its torso, hissing and creaking before using its other blade to lob off Lord Brisby's head. I scrambled backwards from the scene, hiding behind the painting off Jessamine Kaldwin.

I looked back to Lord Corvo, who stared at Delilah with eyes of hatred. Empress Emily stood from her chair and grabbed the sword of one of the fallen guards. I raced over to them and did the same. I was reminded of the mass murder of the City Watch all those years ago. I thought of how I picked their pockets for coin and grabbed anything of value. The Bonecharm whispered to me the whole time. With the same kind of event unfolding, I felt the same nervousness and fear.

Lord Corvo looked over his shoulder at Empress Emily and I. "Stand straighter boy," he said."My daughter has better posture than you. And take your other hand off the sword, it only requires one." I followed his instructions, taking notes from Empress Emily. I felt strong with Lord Corvo at my side.

In a blink, he was gone, reappearing in front of the now laughing Delilah. Empress Emily and I raced forward, hoping to back him up. Lord Corvo thrusted his sword forward, slicing through Delilah's abdomen. He twisted and pulled, but Delilah never flinched. Instead, she entombed him in thorns and vines and the guards surrounded us, the walking mechanisms protecting Duke Abele. Delilah walked forward and caressed his left hand. At once, the light and life of Corvo Attano was sucked out through the brand on his hand. When Delilah retracted her vines and thorns, she pushed Lord Corvo back, him now covered in sweat and cuts. Deprived of his weapon, Lord Corvo backed up, Empress Emily and I doing the same. We stood back-to-back now, ready to face the world.

Seconds passed, minutes, maybe hours, but everything happened so slow. Delilah slowly pulled the sword out from her stomach, echoing out,"Your blade could never hope to still my heart." She threw the sword to the ground with a clang and smirked, knowing she'd won. In an instant, a blinding light cracked through the earth under our feets. Empress Emily and I ducked out of the way, but Lord Corvo wasn't so sharp.

An even brighter, green light shown through the cracks of the earth and Lord Corvo stopped. Graying, moldy stone grew from the cracks at his feet and he struggled to move, but alas he was caught in the trap. Stone started creeping up his pants legs and towards his pelvis. He gasped out and pain and fumbled for his fingers. I saw a piece of metal slide from his middle finger and fall into his palm.

"Eidolon!" he yelled. The stone was up to his elbows now and he was barely able to move his forearm, but he was able to, sending the piece of metal flying. I miraculously caught it and looked at it. It was a ring. When I looked back up, a last, final roar escaped from Lord Corvo's throat before he was entombed in stone. Empress Emily yelled out,"FATHER!" and lunged forward, weapon ready. She was caught by the back of her hair and pulled back roughly by Ramsey. She scrambled and fought, but was defeated with a swift kick to the jaw by another guard.

 _It's just me now. Oh God, I'm fucked._

I was shaking and sweating. My sword was trembling in my hand and tears welled up in my eyes.

 _Did I get saved back then just to die like this?_

I looked at the now lifeless statue that was Corvo Attano, the Royal Protector, the Phantom of Dunwall. Rage welled up inside of me and I found resolve deep down inside. Blinking the tears out of my eyes, I stood straight, just like Lord Corvo instructed, and slipped the ring onto my finger.

I now stood brave with my sword poised. I roared and lunged straight for Delilah.

"Fool." she laughed.

A mass of roots and thorns erupted from the ground below me. It coiled up into a point and pierced my chest. It felt like my ribs were snapping like twigs and my heart had burst like a bubble. I gasped out, but couldn't find the strength to suck in another breath. Blood erupted from my throat and leaked from my chest. The earth cracked open and my legs were entrapped in stone. It hurt like a son of a bitch. I felt the stone enter my pores, flood my bloodstream, and turn my bone marrow to rock. It kept traveling up and up (The pelvic area hurt the worst).

"Fuckin' witch!" I shrieked.

"Weak," Delilah sighed. The stone was up to my neck now and Delilah extracted the root from my chest. It felt hollow. A cry of pain filled everyone's ears. Some watched in silence, others turned away. The scream continued until the stone covered my ears and mouth. I couldn't speak or hear, I could only watch as Delilah looked into my nearly dead eyes. I could only watch as the stone flooded the corners of my eyes and then fully cover them. Then, it was all gone.

A weight on my chest was gone and the pain stopped. I could speak it seemed, but couldn't hear still.

I realised my hearing returned when a voice spoke to me.

" **What a cruel hand fate has dealt you, don't you agree?"**

. . . . . . . .

A Long Day In Dunwall

End


	3. A Strange Visit

A Strange Visit

. . . . . . . .

"Eidolon!"

The blackness and emptiness was gone, those feelings replaced by confusion and terror. I was dazed, not really having much cooperation with my body. Whoever called my name seemed to lighten the effect. A stinging and blunt force crashed into my cheek. My face erupted in pain. My senses all rushed into my like a refreshing bath. My sense of smell was acute now, too much though for its own good. The smell of filth and sewage filled my nostrils. I heard the scurrying of rats and roaches against the gritty ground beneath me. Now out of my stupor and blaringly mad, I prepared myself for a fight. My guard lowered almost immediately though, taking in the beautiful but horrendous sight before me.

I bore witness to the hazy, enigmatic night which lingered above. Steam and smoke rose into the sky, their point of origin seeming to have been a whaling ship on the horizon of the sea. I saw icy and rugged water slice into the debris of bridges and boats which were left scattered in the water. Filth and trash lined the coastline and a broken down, rotting dock sat alone on the water. Everything was so disgusting, but then again there was that beauty which was mentioned earlier.

And there the beauty was, sitting in a not-so-flattering position for a girl. Her features were dark, barely noticeable under the grime and dirt which splotched her face. Her hair was tied into a sloppy mess of hair behind her head and her ragged dress hung slightly off her shoulder. She studied me intently, almost frightened it seemed. Her bronze eyes shown like a beacon in the dreary atmosphere. She was quite small and her body still wasn't fully matured; even if she were to have feminine features, they would be almost unrecognizable due to her skinniness.

Even though she was younger and dirty beyond belief, I recognized this girl as Eleutheria, my long time friend and love interest. If I had to guess, I'd say she was probably….twelve-ish.

The fact that she was so young and Dunwall was so dead meant one thing:

This is The Rat Plague.

"Hey dumbass! Can you hear me?"

I nodded, still wincing from the pain of the slap.

"Ya know, I just got punched here you bitch!" I yelled, jabbing her in the arm. She giggled a little and jumped onto me.

"Oh my GOD," she sighed," I thought I'd lost you to the Void."

I slowly wrapped my arms around her and rested my chin on her shoulder. Her shoulders twitched up and down every now and then, telltale signs of crying.

"Are you cryi-"

"No! It's just-just-just," she gasped,"Yeah!"

I laughed a little and we sat like that for a long time. Dunwall, such a sad and dreary city finally felt happy for those few minutes. The chill of the northern air wouldn't penetrate us, even with our thin rags for clothes. As the air continued to try to break us apart, my nose began to itch, so I scratched it slightly. A numb, prickling sensation rose through my skin and I felt the bridge of my nose curve at an unnatural angle. Dried blood accompanied all of this and I realized the man really had broken my nose earlier. I guess it wasn't hurting so bad because of the elixir Eleutheria nabbed from Slackjaw.

We finally broke apart and I stared into her puffy, red eyes. She laughed and bowed her head to hide the recent session of sobbing. I grabbed her chin and tilted her head upwards to face me once more. I was trying to tell her not to be embarrassed, but I guess it hurt her tough girl ego.

"I thought the plague had gotten to you, I thought you were gonna cry more blood."

"But I wasn't crying blood! I told you long ago that it was the Metal-Faced Demon. They call him the Phantom of Dunwall. He descended on those City Watch guards like an eagle I tell you! He-he-he saved me by…."

Eleutheria just kept staring, waiting for the answer, though she already knew what I was going to say.

"...killing them."

Eleutheria shook her head, almost like she knew it was coming. "No," she began,"Eidolon, it was all a fever dream! Hallucinations brought on by the madness of the disease! You were really close to losing it, you could've seen anything."

"Ah! I remember now! It wasn't a demon! It was you in a dress!"

Eleutheria stiffened with agitation and raised her hand threateningly, causing me to scoot back several feet.

"Stop joking," she stated coldly,"this is not a time for jokes."

"Argh! Why won't you believe me?!"

" **I believe you, my young little friend."**

The world broke apart, the waters falling into oblivion, the ground splitting apart into the sky, Eleutheria turning to ash. I snapped around and took notice of how big I was again. I looked normal it seemed, as normal as one could get I guess. There was a large gaping hole in my chest from where Delilah's roots pierced me. I ticked the inside of my body, playing with the loose ribs and dangling heart.

 _Am I dead?_

" **No, my friend for your life has only begun."**

The dock, which once sat resting above water, now floated endlessly over a purplish nothingness. On the creaking and rotting dock, a mass of light and ash combusted from thin air. I only sat in awe as the ash spiraled and collected, forming the shape of a man. Except, it wasn't a man. It was a god, a figure of myth and legend. It was the one who watches and listens in the dark.

It was the **Outsider**.

" **Well I guess introductions are of irrelevance. Though a welcome still stands. Welcome, to the endless end. The nothing of nothings. The space behind time. The Void."**

A wind blew through me, one which was icier and colder than any of Dunwall's winters. I shivered and crossed my arms in a vain attempt to reduce the cold, though it didn't work. The Outsider walked forward on the creaking dock, watching me with black, glassy eyes. My head ached if I stared into them for too long.

" **To elaborate on your answer, let me say how wonderful it is to meet you: the boy who heard my calls from within the space of time. I welcome you Eidolon, and I task you with something simple."**

 _What's that?_

" **End Delilah's reign, save a friend of mine, and restore a certain woman to her rightful throne."**

 _Sounds simple…_

" **Your humor serves you well in the face of danger. I advise against that in this place."**

I gulped.

 _Well….Outsider….how do I do this? Delilah isn't some street thug. I am nowhere near strong enough to kill her._

" **You can't kill her. She's immortal, a piece of the Void. You can however, help someone who can."**

 _Who is this person?_

" **Time will reveal itself like it does every second of every year of every eternity. For now I give you a 'gift'."**

Pain coursed throughout my left hand. It felt like my hand was melting from the inside out. I watched in a pained, contorted face as my hand blackened and paled. A line of black formed a familiar shape on my hand and the breath escaped my punctured chest.

 _No…._

I stared in horror as I studied the shape on my left hand. It was much like a brand, burning and singeing. It was the Mark of the Outsider.

" **Use my gift well. How you use it doesn't matter, but make sure you use it well. Become etched in history books for infamy or glory. You will be known either way and I will be watching, as I've always done."**

And with that, I was back in darkness with no Outsider and no Eleutheria.

. . . . . . . .

My left hand burned, not painfully, but it was hot. The blackness crumbled away a little and my fingers wriggled excitedly. Next my arm and then my head. The mouth came first, the blackness sliding out of my throat (OMG that sounds so wrong XD). My tongue felt dry and unused for centuries. Then my ears, the blackness oozing out my eardrums. I could hear again and the faint sound of crumbling stone reverberated off the ground. Finally, my eyes were free of the blackness and I examined my surroundings.

It was the throne room, as it always looked, but now outlandish things covered the once beautiful room. I took notice of the shapes of corpses along the floor, vines and trees and roots sprouting from their once life filled bodies. The vegetation curled and tangled around coulombs of marble and the sky blue carpet was tattered and worn. The chandeliers only lighted the room well enough to see about ten feet away from me. The room was eerily still, no movement whatsoever. Then, i heard the footfalls of something from the entrance. The doors creaked open and a lady peeked in. She looked crazed and mad, her hair strewn this way and that. Her complexion was waxy and pale like Delilah's and tiny branches wrapped around her entire body. She dressed rather provocatively, a short skirt with tattered leggings and a scrap of cloth which barely covered her chest.

She peeked in again before finally deciding to walk in. The way she walked was childish and she wore a mischievous smile. I felt my legs unharden and I fell down clumsily, my chest still not turned back to normal, and the weight overbearing my strength. The girl flinched when I fell and looked at me shocked.

"What the hell?! How are you-how are you free!?"

My left hand tingled and a voice whispered into my head.

" **DEVOUR"**

I looked into her eyes and she fell back, terrified. With unknown strength, I shoved myself forward, hobbling towards her. As the stone melted away on my chest, I felt liquid spill onto my shoes and bones rattle to the floor. The hole which Delilah caused had opened up and the pain made my head go blank for a second.

 _I don't have much time….I have to do it now!_

More blood spilled onto the carpet below me and I fell on top of the girl. She struggled and screamed under my grasp, but I fixed my gaze into her very soul.

" **DEVOUR"**

I felt her mind rush into mine. I saw her past, her betrayal, her poverty, her deeds, her crimes, and her power. It was a single moment, but I managed to live her entire life in that moment. She cried out,"Get out of me you demon!" but I persisted. I saw her emotion, her love, her hate, her sympathy for me. I couldn't blame her.

My chest heaved and I spilled blood all over her.

Then I was done. I had taken her. Now, she sat on the floor, staring into my eyes.

"Give it back!" she screamed.

Roots and thorns appeared behind me, something I didn't expect. Apparently, she didn't expect them either. She stumbled back while whispering,"How can you use it? It's yours?!" I didn't know, but she was right. The roots were mine and they snaked their way into my chest. The process was painful, almost unbearable, but when I was done it was worth it. I told the roots to save me and they did. The roots lodged themselves into my chest, snaking hollow branches into my veins, arteries, and capillaries. The flow of life began again as my blood pumped through the branches. The roots filled my chest and then closed it, a faint red glow emitting from within.

Just like that, I had a new heart, one made from the very thing that popped my original.

This was my ability, " **DEVOUR"**.

I take the ability of a person and "eat" it, gaining that power, while also taking that power away from the person I targeted. This girl, whoever she was, had the power when she walked in. I could smell it on her.

I felt my left hand tingle and wisps of blue smoke rose from the brand.

"You're marked!" the girl whimpered.

"Yes, I know."

Silence settled between us. I stared into her tired eyes and she stared directly at my artificial, beating heart. I broke the silence after.

"I'm sorry for you. I really am. I saw what you've gone through, and I was tempted to take all the bad memories away. Do you want me too?"

She looked into my eyes, scared, but somehow hopeful. Tears spilled out of her eyes and she answered.

"Yes."

And so I crouched in front of her, resting my hand on her neck, the other along the back of her head. I stared into her eyes.

"Okay, _Eileen_."

She giggled softly,"No one's called me that in years…"

" **DEVOUR"**

As I erased her memories, I felt sadness, happiness, love, heartbreak, and….peacefulness.

Her eyes closed, and I laid her back gently onto the dirty floor. I felt my hair wither a tiny bit and a collection of strands of my brown hair grayed. Living someone's whole life in mere seconds weighs heavily on me it seems. My new heart skipped a beat.

The room was silent again and Eileen laid motionless on the floor. I didn't kill her, I only took away the bad things. I stood up fully and groaned, exhausted and still confused.

 _What happened? How long has it been? Where's Delilah or the Empress? Why do I have to pee so damn bad?_

As I turned to leave the throne room I caught a glimpse of something heartbreaking. I strided over to the statue which caused my heartbreak. It was Lord Corvo, frozen and lost in time. I don't know how to get him out, nor how I was gonna get out. I stared into his angry yet sad face. He wanted to protect Emily, I know that, but I wonder if he was trying to protect me as well. I doubt it, but it is a nice thought.

 _I'm sorry Lord Corvo._

" **DEVOUR"**

I looked into his mind, his memories, his abilities. I lived his life in about eight seconds. That's a lot more than Eileen's, but I guess it's because she's younger. I lived his life as a little boy in Serkonos. I lived his life as he grew better with a blade. I lived his life as he fell in love with the late Empress, Jessamine Kaldwin. I lived his life as he played with Empress Emily in the Dunwall Tower gardens. I lived his live as he watched his lover murdered and his child taken. I lived his entire struggle to get his daughter back. I lived his life as he slashed, shot, mangled, and fought his way to his daughter. I lived his life as he used such amazing powers to teleport, and stop time, and see through walls. I lived his life as he won his daughter back and trained her for fifteen years in the art of stealth and combat, adamant in his mind that they would come for her again.

I let him keep his memories, but I took his experience with a blade and his experience with the shadows. I'll need all of them if I was going to fulfill the outsider's wish. I don't care how he looks at it, but the way I look at it is very simple.

I'm going to save Dunwall from catastrophe, and kill Delilah.

With those thoughts empowering my head and one last look at Lord Corvo's stoney face, I headed upstairs.

. . . . . . . .

My first little stop was Lord Corvo's office. I needed something important from that safe of his. As I entered the once neat room, I struggled to climb over the masses of paper which once rested on Lord Corvo's desk. His office was like most of the upper Dunwall Tower: covered in vines and roots. With the powers from Eileen, I was able burst through blockaded room. I raised my left hand and a spray of thorns ripped through my arm and out my palm. It was like using my own bones as ammunition. When I tried to use some of Lord Corvo's powers, I found myself concentrating on nothing. Confused as to why I couldn't use his power, my mind flashed back to the moment Delilah caressed Lord Corvo's hand. She must have taken his power back then, and if that is the case, she has " **DEVOUR"** or something similar to it.

After I hopped over the mass of papers, I studied the painting of the Hound Pits Pub.

 _Please be okay Eleutheria._

After removing the painting, I inputted the safe code. The whispers grew stronger and stronger until I finally opened the safe. I looked at the note which rested on the top shelf and the tablet which rested on the bottom. Liking a little suspense I opened the letter. Inside, in a neat, curvy handwriting was a warning:

 _To whomever is reading,_

 _Don't touch the Rune with your bare hands, you'll regret it. Also, if the Imperial Signet Ring is not resting upon this note, notify the Dunwall Tower personnel, unless you're the one who took it. In that case, there is a secret exit behind the bookcase in the Empress' room. I implore you to use it as a head start because I am currently hunting you down as you read._

 _With kind regards,_

 _The Royal Protector, Corvo Attano_

Besides, the threat, something caught my eye: The "Rune" he speaks about. Is that what is wrapped in cloth here?

I grabbed for the Rune, feeling the iciness radiating off of it. Black smoke seeped through the cloth and the whispers grew into a yelling in my head. Agitated, I tore the cloth off the Rune and stared in shock as it tumbled to the floor. A piece of paper also glided onto the ground, which I hastily picked up and read:

 _I warned you._

 _Feeling disappointed,_

 _The Royal Protector, Corvo Attano_

I tossed the note aside and stared down at the Rune. Eleutheria has told me about these before; told me how easily a man can go insane with the power of the Void within his grasp. I used to shudder at the thought of seeing one, but now I see it as a gift from my friend.

I picked up the Rune and stared into the Mark of the Outsider. It was made of whalebone, like the Bonecharms. It was oval, like I thought before, but it had a piece of the corner broken off. Metal braces were put on each side of it. Finally, I traced my fingers over the etching on the front. I felt faint suddenly, like the world was breaking into power. My eyes rolled up into my head and there I saw them:

My powers.

Each power whispered its name.

 **-"DEVOUR"-**

 **-"RUSH"-**

 **-"SUCTION"-**

There were other powers there, but they seemed so far and distant. Instead of trying to see so far, I focused on the powers in front of me. I felt " **DEVOUR"** s power; the ability to eat and take. I felt " **RUSH"** s power; rapid movement. Finally, I felt " **SUCTION"** s power; suck matter into the Void. The Rune would grant me one power or an upgrade of a power already purchased. Playing with the thought of each power, it felt overwhelmingly imperative to take " **RUSH"**. Movement and speed would be really important.

So that's what I chose.

The power flowed into my left hand and into my mind. It was pleasant and empowering. I knew how to use it almost immediately.

I clamped my left hand shut and I felt the power release. Time slowed and I moved normally. I ran through the mass of papers in the office and watched as the papers flew into the air and gently came back down. It wasn't too powerful; the time slowing only being a little weaker than Lord Corvo's unupgraded " **BEND TIME".** Nonetheless, it gave me an edge in battle. I could use it to slow time and appear to be going fast only to my enemies.

 _I'm getting distracted!_

I smacked myself and focused. My objective was to get the hell outta here! I exited Lord Corvo's office and took a left. I was in a hallway, which no doubt lead to the Empress' room. Striding towards the door, I noticed how _clean_ the room was. Barely any vines or roots had made their way into the room. Everything was neat and orderly. As I fully walked into the room, I whistled. I came face to face with the biggest bed I had ever seen. It was about the size of two king sized mattresses combined. Laying on top of it were purple bed sheets and intricate rose stitchings on white pillows. The bed had been made nice and neat and had stayed that way. The carpet which I stood upon was also purple. Other than that, everything else was gold and wood. The walls, the dressers, the chests, the closet.

 _Empress Emily had it good._

Tearing my attention away from the spectacle, I noticed a lonely bookshelf in the corner of the room. I approached it and was instantly confused.

 _How am I gonna open this?_

I tried pulling on some books, pushing the bookshelf, and even knocking. Nothing worked. I ran my hand through my curly, brown hair and a lightbulb went off in my head. I retracted my hand and studied the object which hugged my middle finger. It was the ring that Lord Corvo threw to me. I studied the ring. It appeared to have the shape of four keys on it, all of the ends interlocking. I studied the bookshelf more and noticed an odd shaped hole in the wall beside it. I stuck the ring into the hold and jumped back when I found the ring actually fit. I twisted my hand and the sturdy bookshelf opened.

Walking inside, I noticed an identical hole on the wall beside me. I activated it and the bookshelf closed behind me. I took the moment to look at the unfamiliar room I was in.

I was on a small stairway. At the bottom of the stairway, was a narrow, but still good sized room. A long table sat against the wall of the room and many shelves lined the opposite wall. I stepped down the stairway and examined the objects which lay strewn across the table top. There were half used ink bottles and crumpled up pieces of paper cluttering the desk. As I looked on, I noticed a couple of stray bullets and a lockbox. I was about to search inside when something grabbed me from behind.

My instinct, or rather Lord Corvo's instinct kicked in. The hands had grabbed me by the shoulder and waist, so I used my right hand to firmly grasp the hand on my waist. I whipped around and used the momentum of the spin to slam my assailant against the desk.

"Damn….Bastard!" they yelled.

I noticed the voice immediately.

"Ramsey?"

Ramsey froze and looked over his shoulder, confused. "What the-" he stammered," You're supposed to be a statue! How the fuck did you get out?! Is Corvo out too?!"

I smirked as he struggled against my weight. "No," I answered," But trust me, you're gonna wish it was him."

"Ha! You think I'm scared of a little slum rat like you?!"

"Not right now, but I need answers. Where's Empress Emily?"

"Hell should I know? The bitch snuck up on me and dumped me in here!" he scoffed.

"How long ago was this?" I questioned.

"Oh, I'd say about a week ago. Hard to keep track without seeing daylight."

"Thanks," I stated and walked off.

"What's that huh?! I thought I was supposed to be scared of ya!" he laughed.

"You are…"

" **DEVOUR"**

I peered into his life, his memories, his existence. It was all filthy.

"What are you doing?!" he whimpered.

"Eating," I answered.

I saw his good memories, his bad ones. He had no abilities worth taking, unless you count being a coward and a snake.

 _This is for Lord Corvo._

And so I ate. I took away any speck of happiness in his life. I ate his hopes, his dreams, happiness, his childhood, his innocence. Anything good left in him was gone. Only evil dwelled in him now, and the evil picked at the scraps. Ramsey screamed a blood curdling scream, one that shook me to the bone. He started weeping and seizing up into a ball. I watched as urine soaked his trousers and feces filled the rest.

 _Like a baby…._

I turned my back on him and proceeded to open the lockbox from earlier. I clicked open the smooth wooden box and staggered back.

There, resting on velvet cushion, was the Phantom of Dunwall.

I peered into its eyes, the fear that gripped me fifteen years ago gripping me once more.

The mask sat there though, not moving. I don't know why I expected it to, but I did. As I studied it though, the more the answer became clear.

The Phantom of Dunwall hunted down all members of the Lord Regent's alliance, putting an end to their reign and ushering in Emily's. Now, the city of Dunwall must be feeding on itself just like all those years ago. Without Lord Corvo to stop them again, Dunwall is hopeless.

 _Not on my watch._

I grabbed the mask and stared into its glass eyes. The mask stared into my eyes, asking," _Are you gonna do something or not?_ " The mask wants me to do it too.

I flipped the mask over and slid it onto my face. The velvet lining on the inside was cool and the glass eyes were dusty. I wiped them off and adjusted the lenses.

 _Perfect! Now, to save the city. Easier said than done, but we'll see. For now I should plan, and make my moves carefully. This is my duty now._

My artificial heart was beating faster and faster. I opened the door which led to the outside and stepped into the sunlight.

The Phantom of Dunwall takes his leave from Dunwall Tower.

. . . . . . . .

A Strange Visit

End


	4. A Well Deserved Drink

A Well Deserved Drink

. . . . . . . .

Vines and roots snaked their way through the streets and alleys of Dunwall. They broke through the cement and sprouted triumphantly into the bright day. The sewers had it the worst; most of the roots which suffocated the city had also used the underground passages as room to grow and fester. The once beautiful, red-bricked buildings which were common place near the coast had shattered and grayed. An empty mustiness clinged to every particle in the air. Buildings decayed and crumbled. Life itself came to a standstill. Life was also very still outside The Drunken Bloodhound.

I had seen the building in the painting which hung proudly in Lord Corvo's office. This building looked nothing like it. Dilapidated and silent, the pub sat next to the salty water of Dunwall's largest trade route, Indepex Still. Most merchants fancied her stage name, if you could call it that. Some called her "The Coin Way," or "Whaler's Waves." I myself took to calling her "The Skinny Deep." You can piece together how I got that in your own way; imagination is quite grand.

I snapped my attention back to the building. Through the lenses of my mask I could make out finer details of damage like the tiniest of cracks in the windows or the smallest bud of flowers blooming from the vines. The first floor windows were boarded up tightly and efficiently. Any other way to make it to the second floor had been blocked off or destroyed. With " **RUSH"** I might've been able to climb to the second floor, but I felt absolutely drained of energy. Even with all of the fortifications, the front door remained unblocked and tempting. It beckoned me to use it.

So I did.

I turned the creaky knob gently and pushed it open.

A wave of amazing smells flooded my nostrils. It smelled of baked bread and booze and women oddly enough. Someone was living here. As I closed the door behind me, a bang resounded throughout the room. I turned around and noticed a thick block of wood had fallen on the handle, preventing me from using it. Chairs skidded across the floor and a voice boomed,"He's got no escape! Get 'im!"

Burly men with City Watch swords danced into the room. Men with pistols jumped up from behind the bar and took aim, murderous intent wrinkled onto their faces. I drew my own sword and stood my ground, solidifying my stance menacingly. The men closed in, unaware of the complexity of the stance or uncaring. A man from the back of the crowd wrestled his way to the front. He had broad shoulder and darkened skin like that of a baked chicken. His sweaty, balding head shined brightly in contrast to his full black beard.

He growled angrily at me,"I don't know who you are, but you've got some big, overconfident balls to come rollin' in here!" He looked at the tip of my sword then at my glowing, plant-like chest. His face contorted disgustingly. "One more time!" he barked. "Who are you?!" He then looked into the cold glassy eyes of my mask. I could feel his blood run cold but he didn't externally show it.

"The hell-" he began. I sheathed my weapon and wrestled the mask slowly off my face. Dramatic reunions were always so funny to me. My brown, curly hair poofed out from underneath the mask and my smile grew wide.

"Hey Neb, fix me a glass of the hardest stuff you got; Outsider knows I need it."

A few regular customers of the pub lowered their weapons after recognizing me. Neb stared at me in disbelief and wonder.

"Eidolon, I thought you'd… your chest… and that mask… what the hell?"

My knees felt weak and I wanted to break down right then and there and ball my eyes out like a newborn baby. Everyone lowered their weapons at that point and stared at the return. Neb thumped closer to me and put his hands on my shoulders. He looked me up and down, taking in every bruise, cut, and scar. We locked eyes and he sucked me into a bone-creaking hug. My body screamed in pain, but I sucked it up and slapped him on the back a couple of times.

"Oi, oi! You're gonna pop me like a cherry ya big brute!"

Neb backed off and waved at a small boy in the corner of the room. He seemed no older than fifteen or so, but he was built like a toddler. The boy scrambled to his feet and practically dived behind the bar. I heard a few bottles and glasses clatter and chime. He bounced up into view and began pouring drinks. Neb jogged over to the boy and produced two fresh mugs of alcohol. He handed me one and took a large gulp of his own.

"Welcome back boy!" Neb cheered.

Several men in the crowd shouted their welcomes before taking a large swig of their overflowing mugs. Cheers resounded and shook the building. The quiet atmosphere was now loud and excited. Music rolled around the pub and Neb locked his arm around my shoulders. We cheered and talked, though it was more of a scream because of the loud music. With eyes closed and a smile wrinkling my face, I screamed a joyous greeting.

We partied like that for a while before I was jerked back violently and the music crashed to a stop. Most of the men looked around, confused as to why the celebration stopped. I wrestled free of the hold my assailant had on me and turned around. My fake heart stopped, literally. It started beating again only when a decisive punch was delivered to my cheek.

"You bastard! Who are you to be partyin' like that!?"

I stared into Eleutheria's furious yet somber, teary eyes. A couple of men whistled, others roared in laughter.

"Eleutheria," I began.

She crashed into my chest with her shoulder and I fell down.

"Explain!" she roared."NOW!"

. . . . . . . .

A Well Deserved Drink

End

 **Sorry, for the long wait for this chapter, I got lazy. This chapter is so short because I wanna get things back up and running again. Anyways, we got some questions that need answering!**

 **Jarrett Rogers: While I love Skyrim, a fanfic of it would be pretty monotonous. It basically has no end and can go on forever. It is something to keep in mind for a one-shot though!**

 **Z0mbi3sh0t: Thanks for enjoying! Thoughts of pairing Emily with Eidolon had crossed my mind. I had thought of making Eidolon and Emily a duo, I decided against it. Emily has long since left Dunwall and is in Serkonos. This fanfic takes place in the span of time that Emily was away and provides my own little backstory of how people kept Dunwall from utterly crumbling. My other OC is strictly a friend to Eidolon, but I don't plan to pair them either.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


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